The use of traction upon the body of patients undergoing orthopedic therapy is frequently resorted to. This in essence consists of placing the body in tension and is applied to the neck, shoulders, legs and spinal column in general. For this purpose the relevant parts of the body, such as those mentioned above, are engaged by straps, clamps, belts and various fasteners which in turn are engaged by ropes passing over pulleys from which weights are suspended. In many cases, especially where severe back or neck injuries are involved, this entails the use of a rather extensive combination of ropes, pulleys and counter-weights. These of necessity are customarily supported from the wall or ceiling of the room in which the bed holding the patient is located. Thus when it becomes necessary to move the patient to another location for treatment, x-rays, etc., it is necessary to disconnect the apparatus, thus removing the the traction which may be of serious detriment to the patient. The problem is especially acute when it becomes necessary to evacuate a patient under traction by means of ambulances, aeroplanes or other transportation means.
Numerous different traction devices attached to hospital beds have been constructed and used over a period of years. These are constructed to effect different purposes and in different manners as set forth in more detail below.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,374,115 to Roemer discloses a portable table which is equipped with a crank operated tension device attached to the foot of the patient which, to a considerably limited extent, is applied to put the body in traction to a certain extent and is merely, as its name indicates, a "tension table".
U.S. Pat. No. 2,861,565 to Lapierre describes a selective intermittent or continuous traction device which teaches a novel method of operating traction mechanisms but is not constructed particularly with a view towards portability.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,950,715 to Brobeck for an orthopedic bed teaches a combined traction and exercising device and while it does have portable features, the traction features are rather limited.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,643,996 to Carnahan teaches a wheel chair upon which is superimposed a frame holding a device for placing only a neck in traction.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,699,953 to Mason teaches a novel arrangement of a traction mechanism attached to a bed which permits the patient to operate the traction himself and is adapted to a variety of different types of traction successively. It is not a complete or sophisticated system and not portable.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,800,787 to Rush teaches a traction device attached to a bed especially adapted for applying traction to the lumbar region of the spine by acting on the thighs and femur portions of the patient's legs, while supporting the calves in a horizontal position at a ninety degree angle. It is also not a complete traction system.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,370,251 to Lewis comes the closest to the invention of applicant in application in that it is constructed to be applied to an existing hospital bed. It is described as an "orthopedic arch" which is attached to a bedstead and arranged to hold pulleys and ropes for placing a body in tension. It provides a limited degree of portability but is far from being as sophisticated a device as the invention of applicant's. The provisions for portability with this device are secondary to the construction which permits the attachment and detachment of the device to the bedstead. Many traction elements are lacking.